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ULLAS and Adult Literacy: From Foundational Skills to Lifelong | CurrentPulse AI

ULLAS and Adult Literacy: From Foundational Skills to Lifelong Learning

📅 Published 10 September 2026•Updated 12 September 2026•⏱ 10 min read•Education, Social JusticeGS II

Sikkim Professional University With Primary School Students — Sikkim Professional University With Primary School Students · Pancyadams · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsImage source ↗

FAST READ

International Literacy Day 2026 celebrations concluded with the ULLAS Mela in New Delhi.
The programme emphasised continued learning and last-mile educational empowerment.
ULLAS links adult literacy with functional skills and lifelong learning.

WHY IN NEWS

International Literacy Day 2026 celebrations placed ULLAS and adult learning in focus through the national ULLAS Mela in New Delhi.
The programme is relevant because India's literacy challenge increasingly concerns not only basic reading and numeracy but also lifelong learning, digital skills and last-mile inclusion.

TOP DATA & FACTS

International Literacy Day: 8 September.
2026 celebration concluded on 9 September.
Celebrations ran for 2 days.
ULLAS Mela was held in New Delhi.
ULLAS stands for Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society.
Focus: adults aged 15 years and above who missed formal schooling.
Programme design has 5 broad components.
Foundational literacy and numeracy is a core component.
Critical life skills are included.
Basic education and vocational skills are included.
Continuing education is included.
States/UTs participate through volunteer-based teaching and community mobilisation.

PRELIMS

Adult literacy is broader than the ability to sign one's name; functional literacy includes numeracy and practical life skills.
ULLAS uses volunteerism and community participation.
Lifelong learning is linked to citizenship, financial inclusion, health awareness and access to government services.

QUICK REVISION

ULLAS = Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society.
Target: adults 15+ who missed formal schooling.
Five broad components include FLN, life skills and continuing education.
International Literacy Day: 8 September.
Key idea: functional literacy is wider than basic reading.

PROBABLE OBJECTIVE QUESTION

With reference to ULLAS, consider the following statements:

It targets adult learners who missed formal schooling.
Its design includes functional and continuing-learning components beyond basic reading.
It is exclusively a scholarship scheme for university students. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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Adult literacy should be treated as a capability and citizenship issue rather than merely an educational statistic. Discuss with reference to ULLAS. MODEL ANSWER - ~300 WORDS INTRODUCTION Adult literacy determines whether citizens can independently use health services, banking, welfare and digital government. ULLAS therefore treats literacy as a capability by combining foundational learning with life skills and continuing education. WHY IT MATTERS
Functional literacy helps citizens use health, banking, welfare and digital services independently.
Numeracy supports household budgeting and financial inclusion.
Flexible volunteer-based learning suits adults balancing work and family. FACTS / EXAMPLES
ULLAS targets adults aged 15+ who missed formal schooling.
Its five broad components include FLN, critical life skills, basic education, vocational skills and continuing education.
International Literacy Day is observed on 8 September; 2026 celebrations concluded on 9 September. CHALLENGES
Skills may decline without opportunities for continued use.
Volunteer motivation and material quality vary across regions.
Digitisation creates a literacy divide beyond basic reading. ANALYTICAL LINKAGES
Literacy programmes can produce inter-generational benefits because literate adults are better placed to support children's schooling, access public health information and engage with local institutions.
Learning materials should therefore use everyday tasks - forms, payments, health instructions and digital interfaces - so that acquired skills are repeatedly practised. IMPLEMENTATION FOCUS
Adult-learning outcomes should be independently assessed at intervals because enrolment or declared literacy does not show whether a learner can actually perform everyday tasks.
Convergence with digital public infrastructure can make learning immediately useful: learners can practise accessing documents, checking benefits, making safe payments and using grievance portals.
States should create continuing-reading opportunities through libraries, community centres and local-language digital content so newly acquired skills do not fade after certification.